Since 1993, The Pride Center has been a lifeline for South Florida’s LGBTQ+ community, offering lifesaving and life-enhancing programs. But presently, the Center is warning that deep funding cuts could unravel decades of progress. The leaders revealed they face a $350,000 shortfall this fiscal year, after recent grant cuts and reductions from other funding streams.
The impact, they say, could be devastating in a region that continues to report some of the highest HIV rates in the country. The numbers are sobering: this year alone, the Pride Center has already identified 12 new HIV cases through testing—double last year’s total across the entire 12 months. Since March, more than 50 community members have also relied on counseling and case management through new programs now in jeopardy.
These cuts could mean scaling back free HIV testing, reducing counseling sessions, ending case management, and eliminating social and wellness programs that thousands rely on. Last year, the Center conducted over 1,700 HIV tests, distributed hundreds of at-home kits, linked thousands to vital services, and hosted community programs from yoga and Reiki to support groups for LBT women and Active Agers. Without new resources, leaders warn, these services—and the lives they protect—are at risk.
The Pride Center says the community can help close the gap. Just $20 covers access to critical care, while a $250 gift funds three counseling sessions. Every donation, they stress, keeps life-saving programs alive. For more information and to give, visit the Pride Center’s website at PrideCenterFlorida.org
